Single port liquid vapor valve



5, 1969 R. J. MORSE SINGLE PORT LIQUID VAPOR VALVE Filed Feb. 15, 1966 N wmbwl 1 Al/ is... VA/W mm & Q

wwpgk w M m) M \H KM. m 3 m w W a N g wmmm x a a x W S m E; @H Sm m/vE/vrok ROGERJ. MORSE BY w K ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,459,220 SINGLE PORT LIQUID VAPOR VALVE Roger J. Morse, Florham Park, N..I., assignor to Allied Chemical Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 527,458 Int. Cl. F16k 11/08, 45/00 US. Cl. 137-605 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valve for controlling fluid flow from a vessel containing liquified gas and vapor under pressure comprising, in combination, a housing provided with an upper discharge port in open communication with a first chamber, a plurality of fluid inlet ducts extending through the bottom of the housing, a laterally disposed second chamber located immediately superadjacent the top of the fluid inlet ducts and in communication therewith, a passageway for fluid flow connecting the first and second chambers, means for cutting oif or permitting fluid flow between the passageway and the first chamber, and a rotatable hollowed cock provided with side apertures so dimensioned and positioned within the second chamber that, upon rotation, the cock selectively connects the fluid inlet duets with the fluid flow passageway.

This invention relates to a valve which is particularly adapted for the purpose of controlling the flow of dissimilar fluids from a pressurized container.

A variety of gases are commonly stored in liquified form, under pressure in appropriate containers. Such containers will normally contain the fluid, to some degree, in both liquid and vapor state. It is sometimes desirable to withdraw the fluid either in liquid or gaseous state but not both. Such situations arise, for example, in the storage and dispensing of liquefied petroleum gases, e.g. propane, and also in the storage and dispensing of liquefied refrigerant gases, e.g. the well known Genetron trademark Allied Chemical Corporation), or fluorocarbon, refrigerant gases.

A variety of multi-port and single port valves have been devised to achieve this purpose; however, for reasons of ease of manipulation, it is generally preferred to operate with a single port valve. Unfortunately, none of the single port liquid vapor valves which have been devised to date are wholly satisfactory for one reason or another. In general, the prior art single port liquid vapor valves are characterized by the requirement for a relatively large number of machine parts which complicate manufacture, maintenance and reliability of the valves. There is a demand for a more simple, more efiicient and more reliable single port liquid vapor valve than has heretofore been provided.

It is accordingly the principal object of the invention to provide such a valve which is simple in construction, which requires relatively few moving and machine parts and which accordingly is cheaper to manufacture and maintain and which has a greater reliability of service.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the forthcoming description.

By way of general description, the valve of the invention comprises a valve body or housing adapted to be fitted into the top of a container of liquefied gas and is provided with a plurality of fluid inlet ducts which communicate within the liquefied gas container when the valve is mounted thereon. At least one of these ducts terminates at valve bottom in the vapor space for the purpose of conducting vapor flow and at least one other duct is adapted to receive a dip tube extending to the bottom of the con- 3,459,220 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 tainer for the purpose of conducting liquid flow. A laterally disposed rotatable hollowed cock is fitted into the housing and is provided with apertures so dimensioned and situated that upon rotation the cock selectively connects the various fluid inlet duets with a single fluid flow passageway provided above the cock so that depending upon the position of the cock, fluid flow can take place alternatively through the vapor inlet ducts to the fluid flow passageway or through the liquid inlet ducts to the fluid flow passageway. At least two inlet apertures and one outlet aperture are provided in the cock. The apertures are axially spaced and radially offset so that when the cock is rotated, the fluid inlet ducts are selectively connected with the fluid flow passageway with flow of fluid from at least one of the fluid inlet ducts taking place longitudinally through the hollowed cock before passing into the fluid flow passageway. The fluid flow passageway is provided with a valve seat in its upper wall. A chamber above the fluid flow passageway serves to connect the passageway with an upper discharge port which is in open communication with the chamber. A closure means controlled by a valve serves to connect or disconnect the fluid flow passageway with the upper chamber. An indicating pointer outside the valve body is connected to the cock to serve as a handle for the latter and when the fluid flow passageway is put into communication with the upper chamber, pressure in the container will cause gas or liquid flow to take place through the fluid inlet ducts, depending upon which have been selected by rotatably positioning the cock.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the valve in half section taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 2, except that the indicating pointer is shown vertically for clarification and not adjusted to the operating position shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the valve, partially in half section.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, valve housing 1 has a downwardly extending end portion 2, which is provided with external screw threads 3 by which means the valve housing may be screwed into and connected to a container containing liquid and gas under pressure. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in the drawings, two fluid inlet ducts, a vapor inlet duct 4 and a liquid inlet duct 5 extend vertically and through the downward extension 2 of the housing. A plurality of vapor inlet ducts and liquid inlet ducts may be provided, however such would unduly complicate construction and operation of the valve and thus a single duct for vapor and a single duct for liquid is preferred. Further description of the invention will be restricted to this embodiment. It can be seen that when the valve housing is connected to a compressed gas container, vapor inlet duct 4 will be in open communication with the vapor space in the container. The liquid inlet duct 5 is adapted, such as by means of screw threads or snap fit, to be connected to a dip tube 6, which is designed to extend in close proximity to the bottom of the pressurized container and below the surface of any appreciable amount of liquid contained therein. The upper portions of the fluid inlet ducts 4 and 5 terminate, in open communication, with a laterally extending chamber 7 possessing axially spaced apertures, which chamber 7 is in open communication with a single passageway for fluid flow 8, which is communicable with a chamber 9 surrounding an upper discharge port 10, as may best be seen in FIG. 2. Passageway 8 is provided at its uppermost surface with a valve seat 43 which is cooperable with seat holder 11 to either permit passageway 8 to be in open communication with chamber 9 or to seal the top of passageway 8 and block passage of fluid from passageway 8 into chamber 9. Engagement of seat holder 11 with valve seat 43 may be accomplished by any conventional valve closure means, for example to move the seat holder into and out of closure position. Because of a high reliability factor and excellent sealing against leakage of fluid when the valve is closed, a conventional diaphragm type valve is preferred for this purpose. The diaphragm valve illustrated in the drawing includes the seat holder 11, which is a cylindrical member having an upper flanged portion 22. A tough plastic insert 12 may be provided, as is shown in FIG. 1 which, while resilient enough to form a fluid tight fit, is especially well adapted to withstand the compressive stresses to which this portion of the seat holder is constantly subjected. A flexible diaphragm 13, such as of metal, is located in chamber 9 and is confined in valve housing 1 above seat holder 11 by means of a bonnet 14, which is screwed into receptive threads 15 on the upper portion of the valve housing, which bonnet holds the diaphragm against a seat 16 in the interior of the housing. A valve stem 17 is screwed into the bonnet and preferably has a convex lower end 18 which engages the upper surface of diaphragm 13. A hand wheel 19 is mounted on the valve stem and, when turned, causes the valve stem to move downwardly or upwardly thus causing or permitting the diaphragm to flex or unflex. In its natural position, diaphragm 13 is unflexed and is out of contact with seat holder 11. A spring 20 around the lower portion of seat holder 11 is confined in chamber 9 by seat 21 in the bottom of the chamber and by the upper flanged portion 22 of seat holder 11. When the hand wheel is rotated so as to cause the stem 17 to move downwardly, diaphragm 13 is caused to flex, contact seat holder 11 and urge it downwardly into sealing engagement with valve seat 43, thus preventing fluid flow to take place from passageway 8 into chamber 9. When hand wheel 19 is rotated the other way, stem 17 move upwardly, diaphragm 13 is permitted to unflex and spring 20 urges seat holder 11 out of sealing engagement with valve seat 43, thus permitting fluid flow to take place from passageway 8 into chamber 9. The specific construction of the closure means between passageway 8 and chamber 9 is not critical and it will be apparent that a variety of forms of diaphragm valves may be employed as well as a variety of other closure means, all of which will be obvious to one skilled in the art. Since chamber 9 is in open communication with side port 10, any fluid flow which takes place between passageway 8 and chamber 9 will continue out through port 10. In order to control the flow of fluid from inlet ducts 4 and through chamber 7 into passageway 8, there is provided a rotatable cock 23 which is hollowed as shown at 24 and is provided with outlet openings 25 and 26, inlet opening 27 and a second inlet opening (not shown in the drawing) which is in axial alignment with outlet 25. The inlet and openings in cock 23 are so dimensioned and positioned as to permit selective communication of fluid inlet ducts 4 and 5 with fluid flow passageway 8 when the cock is rotated. In other words, the fluid flow passageway 8, the fluid inlet ducts 4 and 5 and all the inlet and outlet openings in cock 23 are so dimensioned and positioned, in relation to each other, that when the cock is rotated to two alternate positions, an outlet opening will always register with passageway 8 while in each of the alternate positions of the cock, one and not more than one of the inlet openings will register with a fluid inlet duct. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, this is accomplished by situating inlet opening 27 for liquid inlet duct 5 in a complementary position to outlet opening 25 and its axially aligned inlet opening. The latter two openings are constructed as to be capable of being in axial alignment with passageway 8 and with vapor inlet duct 4. When cock 23 is rotated so as to bring these components in axial alignment, vapor flow can take place from inlet duct 4 through cock 23 into passageway 8 and out through port 10, provided that seat holder 11 is out of engagement with valve seat 43. At the same time, inlet opening 27 is out of alignment with liquid inlet duct 5 and liquid flow through cock 23 cannot take place. When the cock is rotated to its alternate position, inlet 27 will register with liquid inlet duct 5, outlet opening 26 will register with passageway 8, while outlet opening 25 and its axially aligned inlet opening will not register with vapor inlet duct 4 or with pasageway 8, thus permitting liquid flow to take place through cock 23 to passageway 8, to the exclusion of vapor flow. Cock 23 is held in place by a retaining nut 28 and bushing 29. A rotating knob or pointer 30 is screwed into cock 23 to facilitate rotation thereof and, as shown in FIG. 2, knob 30 also serves as an indicator to show the position of the cock 23, whether it be for liquid flow or for vapor flow. Nubs or stops 31 and 32 are provided in order to facilitate stopping rotation of cock 23 in the two alternate positions when the various connecting openings are suitably aligned. Optionally, a relief valve may be Ted into the vapor inlet duct. A preferred form, if employed, is relief valve 33 shown in FIG. 1. This relief valve comprises essentially a lateral extension 34 having a bore 35 and a passage 36 connecting the bore with vapor inlet .duct 4. A valve seat 37 engages a valve element 38 which is in engagement with safety poppet member 39 which is in contact with one end of a spring 40. The other end of the spring is engaged by the shoulder 41 of an apertured plug 42 screwed into the bore 35. Spring 40 holds poppet member 39 and valve element 38 against valve seat 37 but if the pressure in the pressurized container should rise above a pre-determined level, the valve element 38 and safety poppet member 39 will be moved away from valve seat 37 against the action of spring 40 to relieve the excess pressure.

The liquid vapor valve of the invention affords the advantage of a simply constructed, maintainable and reliable valve which can be operated in a facile manner by opening or closing a single hand wheel, while affording a choice between liquid or vapor discharge virtually instantaneously by a quick and simple movement of a selector knob.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that various changes and modifications in construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, outlet openings 25 and 26 in cock 23 may be combined in a slot configuration fully connecting the two openings, for as long as there is no opening into cock 23 from one fluid inlet duct; it does not matter if both outlet openings are in communication with passageway 8 at the same time or with each other for that matter. By way of further example, vapor inlet duct 4 and liquid inlet duct 5 may be reversed and, as indicated above, there may be provided a plurality of vapor inlet ducts and liquid inlet ducts with corresponding openings in cock 23 to receive them. These illustrations are exemplary only and the invention is to be limited only by the reasonable scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve for controlling fluid flow from a vessel containing liquefied gas and vapor under pressure comprising, in combination, a housing provided with:

(a) an upper discharge port in open communication with (b) a first chamber,

(c) a plurality of fluid inlet ducts extending through the bottom of the housing,

(d) a laterally disposed second chamber located immediately superadjacent the top of the fluid inlet ducts possessing axially spaced apertures in communication with the fluid inlet ducts,

(e) a single passageway for fluid flow connecting the first and second chambers,

(f) means for cutting off or permitting fluid flow between the passageway and the first chamber,

(g) a rotatable hollowed cock situated within the second chamber, provided with axially spaced and radially offset side apertures which upon rotation, selectively connect the fluid inlet ducts with the fluid flow passageway with flow of fluid from at least one of the fluid inlet ducts taking place laterally through the hollowed cock before passing into the fluid flow passageway.

2. A valve according to claim 1 in which there is a pair of fluid inlet ducts extending through the bottom of the housing and in which the cock described in part (g) possesses two inlet openings and at least one outlet openings, which are so dimensioned and orientated that when the cock is rotated to two alternate positions, an outlet opening will always register with the fluid flow passageway, while in each of the alternate positions of the cock, one and not more than one of the inlet openings will register with a fluid inlet duct.

3. A valve according to claim 2 in which one of the fluid inlet ducts is for vapor, the other for liquid and in which there are two outlet openings in the rotatable cock.

4. A valve according to claim 3 in which one pair of inlet and outlet openings is complementary to the other and which openings are so dimensioned and further positioned as to permit axial alignment of both outlet openings and also one inlet opening with the fluid flow passageway and with one of the fluid inlet ducts, with the remaining inlet opening being rotatable only in non-axial alignment with the fluid flow pasageway and with the axially aligned fluid inlet duct.

5. A valve according to claim 3 in which the passageway for fluid flow is provided with a valve seat in the upper wall defining said passageway and in which the means for cutting off or permitting fluid flow between the passageway and the first chamber comprises a valve plug cooperable with the valve seat.

6. A valve according to claim 3 in which the valve plug is urged into sealing engagement with the valve seat by means of a flexible diaphragm.

7. A valve according to claim 3 in which one pair of inlet and outlet openings is complementary to the other and which openings are so dimensioned and further positioned as to permit axial alignment of both outlet openings and also one inlet opening with the fluid flow passageway and with one of the fluid inlet ducts, with the alignment with the fluid passageway and with the axialignment with the fluid flow pasageway and with the axially aligned fluid inlet duct; in which valve the fluid flow passageway is provided with a valve seat in the upper wall defining said passageway and in which the means for cutting off or permitting fluid flow between the passageway and the first chamber comprises a valve plug cooperable with the valve seat, which valve plug is urged into sealing engagement with the valve seat by means of a flexible diaphragm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 876,724 1/1908 Meldau 137-212 2,017,133 10/1935 Rice 137-588 X 2,630,290 3/1953 Courtot 251-335.1 X 3,021,870 2/1962 Allen 137-210 X 3,058,719 10/1962 Beebee 137588 X 3,251,419 5/1966 Howard 137212 X 2,303,712 12/1942 Sundstrom 222-4 X 2,365,423 12/1944 MacSporran 137607 X FOREIGN PATENTS 280,400 12/1930 Italy.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner DENNIS H. LAMBERT, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. XR. 

